CAW Begins Early Contract Talks With GM’s CAMI Plant

March 11 (Bloomberg) -- The Canadian Auto Workers union
said it’s starting early contract negotiations today with
General Motors Co.’s CAMI assembly plant.

The negotiations will take place over the next two weeks,
and the Toronto-based union and Detroit-based GM are aiming to
reach an agreement by March 24, according to a statement. The
current contract doesn’t expire until Sept. 16.

The plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, bargains separately from
other GM plants represented by the CAW. Those factories reached
a four-year labor agreement last year. That accord reduced the
hourly rate for new hires to C$20.40 ($19.83) from C$23.80. The
agreement was similar to agreements reached with Ford Motor Co.
and Chrysler Group LLC.

GM on March 8 announced plans to invest in the Ingersoll
plant to install body shop equipment and tools to permit the
factory to build more types of vehicles. The factory’s current
products include the Chevrolet Equinox.